Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense gigs, present participle gigging, past tense, past participle gigged
1. countable noun
A gig is a live performance by someone such as a musician or a comedian.
[informal]
The two bands join forces for a gig at the Sheffield Arena on November 28.
He supplemented his income with occasional comedy gigs.
Synonyms: show, production, appearance, presentation More Synonyms of gig
2. verb
When musicians or other performers gig, they perform live in public.
[informal]
By the time he was 15, Scott had gigged with a handful of well-known small bands. [VERB]
...ten years of gigging in bars and clubs all over Kentucky. [VERB-ing]
gig in British English1
(ɡɪɡ)
noun
1.
a light two-wheeled one-horse carriage without a hood
2. nautical
a light tender for a vessel, often for the personal use of the captain
3.
a long light rowing boat, used esp for racing
4.
a machine for raising the nap of a fabric
verbWord forms: gigs, gigging or gigged
5. (intransitive)
to travel in a gig
6. (transitive)
to raise the nap of (fabric)
Word origin
C13 (in the sense: flighty girl, spinning top): perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compareDanish gig top, Norwegian giga to shake about
gig in British English2
(ɡɪɡ)
noun
1.
a cluster of barbless hooks drawn through a shoal of fish to try to impale them
2. short for fishgig
verbWord forms: gigs, gigging or gigged
3.
to catch (fish) with a gig
Word origin
C18: shortened from fishgig
gig in British English3
(ɡɪɡ) informal
noun
1.
a job, esp a single booking for a musician, comedian, etc, to perform at a concert or club
2.
the performance itself
verbWord forms: gigs, gigging or gigged
3. (intransitive)
to perform at a gig or gigs
Word origin
C20: of unknown origin
gig in British English4
(ɡɪɡ)
noun
informal short for gigabyte
gig in American English1
(gɪg)
noun
1.
a light, two-wheeled, open carriage drawn by one horse
2.
a long, light ship's boat, esp. one reserved for the commanding officer
3.
a machine for raising nap on cloth
verb intransitiveWord forms: gigged or ˈgigging
4.
to travel in a gig
Word origin
ME gigge, whirligig, prob. < Scand, as in Dan gig, whirling object, top, Norw dial. giga, to shake, totter < IE *gheigh- < base *ghei-, to gape > gape, giggle; (sense 3) for gig mill
gig in American English2
(gɪg)
noun
1.
a fish spear
2.
a fish line with hooks designed to catch fish by jabbing into their bodies
verb transitive, verb intransitiveWord forms: gigged or ˈgigging
3.
to spear or jab with or as with a gig
Word origin
contr. < earlier fishgig, fizgig < Sp fisga, kind of harpoon < fisgar < LL *fixicare, to attach < L fixare, fasten < fixus: see fix
gig in American English3
(gɪg)
noun Slang
1.
an official record or report of a minor delinquency, as in a military school; demerit
2.
punishment for such a delinquency
verb transitiveWord forms: gigged or ˈgigging Slang
3.
to give a gig to
gig in American English4
(gɪg)
US
noun Slang
1.
a job performing music, esp. jazz or rock
2.
any job
verb intransitiveWord forms: gigged or ˈgigging
3. Slang
to have a job performing music, esp. jazz or rock
COBUILD Collocations
gig
one-off gig
Examples of 'gig' in a sentence
gig
There are fears the delay could lose the band gigs and sponsors.
The Sun (2015)
Club gigs are so important to figure things out.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The two got gigs in their respective countries for each other.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The company earns a lot of money from live gigs and merchandise.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
So much for that helicopter his team hired to get him to the gig on time.
The Sun (2013)
What about some comedy or pop gigs?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The film was originally used as a backdrop to a gig by local bands.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The frazzled singer was forced to cancel two gigs this weekend after being diagnosed with exhaustion.
The Sun (2016)
Computers replaced live music and gigs declined.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We all know the perils of taking a seat in the front row at a comedy gig.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He managed bands and arranged gigs until the internet gave him a more profitable idea.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It is thought he may front a limited run of the show before being given the gig full time.
The Sun (2014)
We used to gig way, way back in the day.
The Sun (2015)
The singer was busy yesterday performing two gigs - and we were invited to both.
The Sun (2014)
So what about information about bars, clubs and gigs then?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
This was a gig of two halves, divided by a pointlessly long interval.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
For three nights, he performs gigs with comedy chums that promise a pleasingly oddball frisson.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
You've been known to stand with your back to the crowd at live gigs.
The Sun (2014)
And now he is putting on a charity gig to raise money for the victims of the disaster in Japan.
The Sun (2011)
She just made her gig at Odyssey Arena.
The Sun (2010)
S: We were doing up to ten gigs in a week.
The Sun (2013)
In other languages
gig
British English: gig NOUN
A gig is a live performance by someone such as a musician or a comedian.
The two bands joined forces for a gig.
American English: gig
Brazilian Portuguese: show
Chinese: 现场演出
European Spanish: concierto
French: concert
German: Gig
Italian: spettacolo
Japanese: ライブ
Korean: 라이브 공연
European Portuguese: show
Latin American Spanish: concierto
Chinese translation of 'gig'
gig
(ɡɪɡ)
n(c)
(= show) 现(現)场(場)演出 (xiànchǎng yǎnchū) (次, cì)
n abbr
(inf) =gigabyte
(noun)
Definition
a single performance by jazz or pop musicians
The two bands join forces for a gig at the Sheffield Arena.